Audrey Yu - Department of Public Health
Mosquitoes have been a long-standing public health issue due to their role in transmitting diseases like malaria, zika, dengue fever, etc. The study "Engineered gut symbiotic bacterium-mediated RNAi for effect control of anopheles mosquito larvae" by Ding et al explores a new measure in preventing disease transmission from mosquitoes. This study genetically engineered a symbiotic gut bacteria, Serratia fonticola, to deliver RNA-silencing signals in mosquito larvae, specifically, the Anopheles stephensi species of mosquitoes, which most notably transmit malaria. With RNA playing an essential role in gene expression, this method of RNA interference (RNAi) inhibits growth and ultimately increases death in mosquito larvae that may later transmit disease.
RNAi-based methods have been a new area of study with many challenges like cost, short-lasting effects, and non-sustainable delivery methods. More importantly, these challenges are overcome by using symbiotic bacteria. Utilizing symbiotic gut bacteria as a delivery system for RNAi proves to be more sustainable, cost-effective, efficient, and long-lasting. This innovative measure can be especially helpful in situations where conventional measures fail, such as mosquito populations that are resistant to insecticides. It can also decrease the use of insecticides, which may have adverse effects on humans and the environment. While this method is still undergoing more research, this study provides a promising approach to controlling the mosquito population and fighting the transmission of malaria.
References:
Ding, J., Cui, C., Wang, G., Wei, G., Bai, L., Li, Y., Sun, P., Dong, L., Liu, Z., Yun, J., Li, F., Li, K., He, L., & Wang, S. (2023). Engineered gut symbiotic bacterium-mediated rnai for effective control of anopheles mosquito larvae. Microbiology Spectrum. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01666-23
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